Fear of flying keeps superstar deejay away from party
"I'm so sorry" - Deejay Eric Prydz, who was meant to perform at Gianpula last Saturday. He would like his £25,000 fee to be given to a local charity.
Deejay Eric Prydz, who was a no-show at his own event last Saturday, promised to come to Malta next year and wants to donate his £25,000 fee to a Maltese charity.
Mr Prydz, also known by his other stage name Pryda, was meant to perform at Gianpula fields on Saturday night but had a panic attack before his flight. The party went on as planned while the local organisers tried to find a solution. But Mr Prydz never showed up, angering the fans who paid an entrance fee of between €10 and €20.
Discussions will now take place between the local and foreign organisers to find a way to make it up to those who attended, and one of the suggestions is for there to be a free event featuring Mr Prydz in the coming weeks. The event was organised by Ice Music Medium in collaboration with Xfm and Ministry of Sound. On Sunday, Ice Music Medium released a statement apologising for Mr Prydz's absence, assuring those who attended that this was beyond their control.
The Times spoke to Mr Prydz's management in the UK, who confirmed that it was his phobia of flying that prevented him from coming to Malta. They also apologised for the mishap and said that Mr Prydz's message to his fans is "I'm so sorry", and that he promises to come to Malta next year if the Maltese want him back.
Around 4,000 people were said to have attended the event, which also featured top local deejays. Many of the partygoers, however, did not even realise that the Swedish deejay had not showed up since his popular songs were being played anyway.
The organisers chose not to tell those who attended about the mishap for "safety reasons" - not to upset the thousands of hyped up fans that had gathered.
Mr Prydz's phobia is well-known to his fans and colleagues. Up to three years ago he had never even boarded a plane. He takes prescribed anti-anxiety pills to help his condition and has also attended flight courses to overcome his fear.
His manager explained that the medication had helped Mr Prydz when travelling to America last year. However, when it comes to short-haul flights in smaller planes, the medication is sometimes not enough to calm his nerves, since he also feels claustrophobic.
"If a 747 flew from London to Malta, he would have been there. It's just a psychological thing. He feels he would panic on a small plane," his manager said.
Mr Prydz is also afraid of travelling by boat due to a bad experience he endured when travelling to Mykonos in August, so a ferry trip was also out of the question.
To come to Malta, therefore, Mr Prydz and his tour manager travelled for 15 hours by train from London to Milan, in order to catch a shorter flight. But at the last minute he started to "panic about panicking."
"Since Malta is an island he was scared that he would not have another way to leave if he is hit by another panic attack, since he would not be able to catch a train," his manager said.
He explained that on Saturday evening, Mr Prydz's agent contacted the local organisers to tell them that he would not be able to travel.
Ice Music Medium, in their statement, said they were prepared to incur extra costs by providing a private jet.
"A private jet would not have been a solution because of the phobia. He would never ever get on a plane so small. If someone had said we would get you an A340 or a 747, we would have come," Mr Prydz's manager explained.
Mark Grima, who owns Ice Music Medium, said that when the party started they were still waiting from a reply from Mr Prydz's agency to see what was going to happen.
"It was too late to cancel the event which was already under way with a great vibe," Mr Grima said.
He added that his company was now seeking a way to make up for this mishap.
"A meeting has been set up with Mr Prydz's management in the UK this Thursday to resolve matters. We may also take (legal) action against the performer's management if necessary," he said.
Mr Grima stressed that the situation was totally beyond his company's control, and that similar situations have happened in Malta many times with parties similar to this one.
Mr Prydz's management told The Times that if the Maltese still wanted to watch the deejay perform they would do everything in their power to ensure that he comes next year.
"We're going to try come back to Malta. I'm going to make sure I get him in a position where I know he can come. I'll do whatever I can to get him to Malta because I don't want to leave everyone upset," his manager said.
"What artiste would want to leave 4,000 people there waiting for him? This is just a question of fear that is controlling his life."
He added that the deejay's £25,000 fee that was paid months ago was to be sent back to the local organisers. But if no refunds were going to be given they would make sure the money goes to a local charity.
They also suggested that if Mr Prydz does come to Malta next year the entrance fee may be waived for those who paid for last Saturday's event.
When asked whether the money would be given to charity, refunded or invested in a free party, Mr Grima said that everything was being considered "in the best interests of those who came to the party and did not get what they expected".
But the terms and conditions printed at the back of the tickets for the event include a clause that gives the organisers the right to "vary or omit any part of the programme in exceptional circumstances such as illness of the artiste" and adds that "no money will be refunded unless the event is cancelled."
Eric Prydz is best known for his tracks Call On Me, Proper Education (Eric Prydz vs Pink Floyd) and his current worldwide dance hit Pjanooo.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Marsa murder - Police looking...
Update 2: Three arrests after flamingo...
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Updated - Two bodies, capsized boat,...
Franco Mercieca doing routine eye ops at...
In Discussion
Update 2: Three arrests after flamingo...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
Chinese company to study Malta-Gozo...
Updated - PM reacts to Labour anger on...
Franco Mercieca doing routine eye ops at...
No appeals board for first part of power...
Updated - PM comments as Franco Mercieca...
BBC site highlights illegal hunting in Malta
13 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
L.Desira
Sep 13th 2008, 15:22
I don't think that Mr. Prydz found out about his fear of flying on 'small' aircrafts on the day of the party, so he knew before-hand what can to happen to him; if he's not capable of going abroad, he should not plan parties abroad, period!
Now, regarding the refund: I knew that he wasn't coming before i got in. whilst going into venue, the person collecting the tickets forced me to give him all of my ticket. Anyway, finally I managed to make him give me part of the ticket, as a small proof that I had really bought the tickets, but what if its not enough, what about those people who have got no proof whatsoever?
And what about the free event? I think that even my grandma would consider going to a free party, ahseb u ara all the young generation, there would be 1000's of people (there were 4000 people who payed).
Ice Music Medium should not be critisized for the absence of this DJ, as long as they give a refund to all those people who have some sort of proof that they had really payed for the ticket.
Denis Catania
Sep 11th 2008, 03:39
@Jeremy J Camilleri: My comment was based on facts from the article,that he really had a panic attack. If this attack was made up. Than shame on him. This is not an ailment that should be used to get out of a contract.
I. Dalli
Sep 10th 2008, 10:06
How can Ice Music Media refund the attenders if the tickets has been collected all. Normally the ticket buyer is left with some part of the ticket, but at the entrance they collected the whole ticket. If they knew something was wrong in the afternoon they could have cancelled the event in the afternoon.
Adrian Fabri
Sep 10th 2008, 10:01
Amazing......I always considered such events a Rip off, but this is a Strip off for sure. An easy way to make money ..and beleive me they make big money.
Unfortunately something like this must happen to give a lesson to our poor younger party generation.jahasra!!
Mr. Mark Grima......If you're a Man and consider yourself a person of integrity, REFUND BACK CASH MONEY!!!! now
Jean Marie Darmanin
Sep 10th 2008, 01:18
after reading the article i must only laugh. i was lucky that i went to amazonia and heard Speedy J rather than a commercial guy who @ d end of the day couldn't come!!
regarding : "Around 4,000 people were said to have attended the event, which also featured top local deejays. Many of the partygoers, however, did not even realise that the Swedish deejay had not showed up since his popular songs were being played anyway."
4000?? impressive i think they don;t know how to count well
mmm the partygoers didn't realise?? do you mean those that go to parties not knowing a single crepé about the artist and take stupefacients to have a good time in a party??
Does listening to the artist's song make a party?? if yes then in my house i have a big party everyday!!! haha
it was a gamble for the organisers and well the result is known but it seems they didn't make a good backup plan(at least from my point of view)
cheers
joe fountain
Sep 9th 2008, 23:58
that seems like an awful lot of money for one night ... i think i d get over any panic attacks for that amount of money!!
Jeremy J Camilleri
Sep 9th 2008, 22:23
Dj Pryda...as Denis Catania stated...for bringing your problem out in the open....
Thanks for showing that a cure is there..I mean..You did manage to fly to the USA.... strange how a short flight to Malta saw you come down with the condition again....
We must also thank the organisers for not making the cancellation known to the party goers.....I m sure they did that out of kindness..so as not to dissapoint the patrons who were still forking out their hard earned cash, even after it was evident that the organisers KNEW that there would be no Prydz...
Matthew Azzopardi
Sep 9th 2008, 22:16
'Many of the partygoers, however, did not even realise that the Swedish deejay had not showed up since his popular songs were being played anyway'.
If such is the state of music at the moment, i really pity all those people who attend these events. Music appreciation at it's best. Imagine going to a concert by U2, leaving, and a day later realising that U2 were never there at all!!
L. Brincat
Sep 9th 2008, 18:32
I'm sorry to say but putting such Terms & Conditions like "Ice Music Media isnt liable to changes of event" on a ticket is unfound.
When you give the money to the seller and buy the ticket it means that you agree with the Conditions. But how can you agree with the Conditions when you are able to read them after you buy the ticket?
If one does not agree with these Terms is the organiser of the event ready to refund the buyer back? No, because on the Ticket they say that "refunds are not accepted".
If the fee will be waived off next Prydz's event, can Ice Music Medium inform us how to show that we attended last Sat's event when our tickets were taken in whole by the bouncers without giving us the perforated stub (which also should automatically be a VAT receipt of the payment of the ticket)?
It is normal that there are No Shows of artists during events but professional and less professional organisers give refunds. Ice Music failed to handle the situation in a professional manner.
Denis Catania
Sep 9th 2008, 18:00
The money should be donated to help people with anxiety and panic attacks. I feel for this person, as I have friends that get panic and anxiety attacks. I have been called by one friend in the middle of the night on numerous times. On the way to the hospital, it's sad hearing a friend constantly asking me, are we there yet.
DJ Pryda I hope you overcome your panic attacks. I'm proud of you for bringing this in the open. Good luck and my prayers are with you.
Jacob Borg
Sep 9th 2008, 15:57
Let's hope that the 25,000 euros returned to the organisers does not vanish into thin air.Getting a local DJ to play some Prydz songs was a very cheap move,warm up Dj's would never play the main DJ's songs,so it wrongly led many to assume that Prydz was on.
Mark Spiteri
Sep 9th 2008, 12:41
One sec......what are the disappointed lot who packed the Gianpula fields last Saturday going to do ? No note was taken during the concert of who was there......people were left coming in and not informed that Eric did not show up.Money for the event was paid by those attending,obviously the organizers did not pay Eric,so what next ?The so called excuse(afraid of flying) they came up with was a load of crap I would say.And another DJ playing playing the same stuff of Eric was also a scam.....making the party goers thinking it was him. And what states on the ticket ("vary or omit any part of the programme in exceptional circumstances such as illness of the artiste" and adds that "no money will be refunded unless the event is cancelled.") THE EVENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANCELLED but it looks like the organizers did a good deal.
Etienne Bonello
Sep 9th 2008, 12:30
1. The management of Mr Prydz would like that the tickets of a possible event next year would be waived off for those who paid for last Saturday's event...However the tickets were taken by the bouncers at the entrance without a stub being given back to us customers..WHAT A COINCIDENCE!!...Hence we have no proof of purchase! My ticket nos were 213 and 214 if I remember correctly. I wouldn't mind my money to be given to charity as it would be a noble gesture!
2. MR Grima is claiming they were not aware that the dj wouldnt be coming...However I am sure that by 2am they knew he wouldnt show up, since at 2am the artist was scheduled to play. Some friends of mine decided to show up at the party @ that time, and they were charged 20Euros without being told the Dj wouldn't attend...That is the unfair part of the situation!
The local Djs did indeed do a good job and produced a good warm up vibe, but then it would have only been fair that the patrons coming late to the event were informed were Mr Prydz wouldnt show up!
Please choose the reason of your report below: